In March, Hong Kong SAR welcomed its annual art month. A series of premier international art events, including Art Basel Hong Kong 2026 and Art Central 2026, were held one after another. To further amplify the impact of these events, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) launched "Hong Kong Mega 8," a program that connected a diverse range of citywide activities centered around eight major international art, trend culture, and sporting events. Its key innovation lies in bringing art into communities and transforming public spaces into art spaces.

As the centerpiece, "Art Basel Hong Kong 2026" brought together 240 leading galleries from 41 countries and regions. The "Encounters" sector, dedicated to large-scale sculptures, installations, and performing arts, presented 12 large-scale artworks; the "Kabinett"sector featured 35 themed exhibitions. Notably, the "Zero 10"sector, Art Basel's global initiative dedicated to art of the digital era, made its Asian debut at this year's Hong Kong fair, following its debut at Art Basel Miami Beach, providing a dedicated platform for the display and acquisition of digital art. Writer and artist Feng Tang was also invited to participate in a live stream from the fair, attracting millions of views.

Meanwhile, Art Central 2026 was held from March 24th to 29th at the Central Harbourfront. This year's event was the largest ever, bringing together 117 galleries and over 500 artists, with about 85% of the exhibitors coming from the Asia-Pacific region. From large-scale installations along the Victoria Harbour to light and shadow performances on the streets of Central, art was no longer seen as an unattainable ideal confined to museums.

"Extending art into the community enhances the visitor experience, extends visitors' stay in Hong Kong, creates business opportunities for industries, and expands the economic impact of event tourism," said Peter Lam Kin-ngok, Chairman of the HKTB. "This initiative aims to fully showcase Hong Kong's status as Asia's event capital."

亚洲首秀+规模创新高！香港推“文艺盛宴”打造亚洲文化枢纽

三月，香港迎来一年一度的艺术月。巴塞尔艺术展香港展会、Art Central 2026等一系列国际级艺术盛事密集登场。为进一步放大盛事效应，香港旅游发展局推出“Hong Kong Mega 8”活动，以八大国际级艺术、潮流文化及体育盛事为核心，联动全城多元活动。其核心创新在于推动艺术下沉社区，实现公共空间艺术化。

作为重头戏，“2026年巴塞尔艺术展香港展会”汇聚了来自41个国家及地区的240间顶尖艺廊。专为大型雕塑、装置及表演艺术设立的“艺聚空间”展区，呈现了12件大型作品；“策展角落”则呈献了35个主题展览。值得一提的是，专为数字时代艺术而设的“Zero 10”板块在继迈阿密海滩展会后，于本届香港展会迎来亚洲首秀，为数字艺术的展示与购藏提供专属平台。作家、艺术家冯唐也受邀走入展会进行直播，吸引了上百万次的观看热度。

与此同时，Art Central 2026于3月24日至29日在中环海滨举行。本届规模为历届之最，汇聚了117间画廊及逾500位艺术家，其中约八成半的展出力量来自亚太地区。从维港海风里的大型装置，到中环街头的光影展演，艺术不再是美术馆里的“高岭之花”。

“将艺术延伸至社区，提升旅客体验、延长留港时间，为产业创造商机，扩大盛事旅游的经济效应。“香港旅游发展局主席林建岳表示，此举旨在全面展现香港作为亚洲盛事之都的地位。

文 ｜记者 王丹阳
图｜主办方供图
译｜黄健新
英文审校｜肖凯欣